Last minute shopping on the go… Good friend and customer wanted a gift so I brought the store to him on the tailgate of our truck in the parking lot of the mall. Honestly, I have done this a lot. I live in ‘Nowheresville’ so I have often brought the store to the customer especially this time of year. I gift wrapped it and everything for him. No different the mall, right? Talk about low overhead. (Well, I guess pickup trucks are not the cheap these days.)

Cookie Fest 2014

Every year we decorate cookies with the Aunties… The guys don’t really decorate much they just eat and goof off. Notice the ‘mice’ they were really easy and fun to make. Chocolate covered cherry with the stem as the the tail, white striped Herseys kiss face, almond slice ears, on an oreo cookie. If you google Chocolate Cherry Mice the recipe comes right up…. very simple. I am not really a fan of dessert, lucky thing, I would rather eat a steak or drink a cold beer than waste the calorie on a cookie.

Clay Mathews Christmas Cookie made by Gabrielle ~ for all of you Green Bay Packers Fans ~ The frosting on this one will put anyone over the edge… Blood sugar 1500….

My son Wyatt having a good time with some goofy antlers of his Aunts on his head.

This is the only way my husband lets his picture be taken. This is an exact replica of my husband Bill. (Ok, he doesn’t wear shirts like that… his shirts are mostly black and have a Harley Davidson something on them ~ and we forgot the boots.)

C-Fest 2014 (cookie fest) painted on the snowbank while the guys play football, dog plays too. After the cookies are made we head to the Rockin K Ranch in Greenleaf, Wisconsin. This ranch gives sleigh rides (or wagon rides if there is not enough snow) and drops you off in the woods at a bonfire ~every family has their own bonfire in the woods, privately. They pick you up whenever you say so ~ hour or two. We bring popcorn, hot chocolate and some family trivia the kids make up. It’s really fun and a nice way to spend the evening together being festive and getting in the spirit. The Rockin K Ranch does it right. Thanks for another fun night at your farm. If you have little kids or a company party it’s a really fun time doing something simple and little old fashion.

Terrible pic… sorry it’s all I have…

off we go out to the woods on our horse ride… That is my brother in law standing next to me with his thumb up.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I hope you have a peaceful Christmas with friends and family and are happily looking forward to 2015.

Finalized piece from my last post… The trillion cut stones I could have never set without Gerry Lewy’s stone setting class. Thanks Gerry. I am sure Gerry, sitting up in Toronto Canada, has no idea I use his teachings almost daily. He will be teaching at Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek Door Co. next summer. If you can possibly take the class ~ take it… It’s amazing. Now I need to learn bright setting and engraving from him. If only I could live longer. http://www.peninsulaschoolofart.com

KT helps me out all the time… she recently graduated from college and now has a real job… miss her, but she will still be around and help me at my shows, etc.. I hope!

This is such a pretty picture I couldn’t help but put it in here… very possibly the prettiest pic I have ever taken. Again KT Happy Happy Birthday! I hope you are out having a great time with your guy…. Yes, she’s taken.

This is a big rough gorgeous specimen stone… If you notice the nice recessed rivet at the top of the pendant. The rivets turned out perfectly and they are perfectly recessed in to the metal ~ was fun to experiment with…. This specimen stone is not too big for a shy wearer. Anyone can wear this piece, well, except maybe Roni ~ (Just kiddin’ ya Roni!)

Chrysocolla and Aquamarine Gemstone Necklace ~ I worked for a long time on this necklace getting it to be ‘right.’ I just love it. It has great movement, color and the aquamarines have a lot of flash… Fun to see it come together.

Got to head out to the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee Wisconsin for just 35 hours of buying. The Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee is the largest bead show in the world. The offer over 900 jewelry related classes over a 10 day stretch. It’s a great show. I do not use that many beads any more but there are a couple great stone cutters there and it’s my only chance to pick the stones out in person for the entire year. Above is picture of the truck I parked next too. I think you have a serious problem if this is your box of Swarovski Crystals!!!!!!!!! Wow!!!!!!!! Yes, I am sure they are vendors but can you imagine? It must weigh a ton. (Thank you Tammy Rae for the place to sleep: Lissa and Tammy and Chrissy and Jessica: thanks for the friendship! Hi Chelle! Good to see you too!)

This is Tatiana she is from the Ukraine… I have been joking around with a good customer of mine that we are both moving to the Ukraine for a break in our lives…. I just had to take this woman’s photo for that reason. Here is our ticket outta here with this lady! 🙂

This is just one box of stones I purchased from Gary Wilson. I helped out in his booth for a while as well and it was a fun learning experience to work at someone else’s show. Great guys, himself, and his son in law, Spencer. Thanks guys for the great stones and good times. I don’t have a picture of all of us and Lissa… what the heck! That would have been really nice to have. Gary got any pics?

Tourmaline in Quartz.. I purchased a few very similar to this one piece…. Yes, I will make a necklace out of it and I can’t wait to do it I already have it planned out in my head.

I cannot remember what this stone even is… hee hee….this will be a necklace too.

Rhodocrosite is one of my favorites because it’s pink. I have not found it in a while in nice thick beautiful pieces. These are just perfect for me!

Malachite Drusy and Azurite

Bought a lot of Crazy Lace Agate, again a favorite with Laguna, Dryhead Agate and Rhodocrosite

Dryhead Agate

Crazy Lace Agate

Labradorite…drool… I will not be able to keep these as a set. It’s just too expensive. I will split them up and make separate pieces from them.

Petrified Wood… This one I am going to keep for myself.

My Grandmother is doing better. She had a heart attack last week Saturday and is recovering her strength in a nursing home. She is 90 years old and will be 91 this summer. She pushed her call light because she wanted the nurses to see the jewelry I was wearing!!!!!!!!!! I was laughing my butt off at that. We look alike in this photo: same lips, same eyes… When she sees a picture of herself she always says, ‘Who is that old woman?’ She just cannot believe her own age and image. It’s funny how we just want to stay the same. Human nature I guess. This is my Grandmother years ago at about 22 years old. She had just graduated from nursing school.

Very pretty and timeless piece… Had a lot of peaceful time this week just to sit make things. You don’t always get that every week. Sometime busy work just interferes with being creative and being creative is what it’s all about…

This is a Garnet stone necklace that is huge that I have had for about a year. I have never gotten a good picture of it and when I sent it out to be photographed the pro’s pic wasn’t any better than mine….hmmm.. the pics I have now are the best I have ever had. It is one of my favorite pieces of jewelry I have ever made. Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/153032490/garnet-in-the-rough-stone-sterling?

This is an Azurite… The necklace is huge…. It is also at The Flying Pig Gallery as of yesterday which opened for weekends until sometime in May when they will be open daily. I love the multi-leather cord I made for it. It really works with the piece. If you are interested in this piece just contact me or The Flying Pig we will get it to you. Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/185765257/azurite-specimen-stone-necklace-sterling?

Another Labradorite… The stone was so big I just could not get myself to add any details to distract from it. So, here it is on a thick hammered plate of sterling silver — simple but bold. I just finished this today so it’s here… link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/185993642/labradorite-stone-sterling-silver?ref=listing-shop-header-0

Heidi! Are you out there???? These are my crazy lace agates. The top two crazy laces are gone already…. I used them in pendants…but you wanted to know what I had on hand and here it is…. take a look.

I have been considering purchasing a TIG welder for jewelry purposes… Researched it to death over the last couple of days. Thank you to the other artists who have chimed in to help with my decision on what to purchase. I have not made up my mind yet. There are two brands: PUK and Orion. Right now they seem to be neck and neck in what they can do for a jeweler. Still don’t know yet. It’s a huge investment. I could have used it several times this week on delicate repairs. Much to think about. I might even look into some artist grants??? Not sure where that will go but it’s worth a try. I’m off to the movies to enjoy the rest of this rainy Saturday.

‘Praying For Sun’…. Good luck Prayer necklace I made today just wishing for a little break in this cold weather. May it bring you good luck as well. Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/179065586/agate-stone-sterling-silver-handmade

Weather Man said last night 39 days of below zero this winter… Last time that happened in Northeast Wisconsin was in 1976-1977. I was in a diaper. I bet I did not like it then either. I am still running outside to train for a marathon or trying to. You have to be covered up with only your eyes showing and breathing through a scarf. You feel like a huge running ball of yarn.

I have been creating some 18K Gold and Diamond Rings…. This is for a bridal line of jewelry or just for that person who only wears gold. What a pleasure gold is to work with. It’s so ‘workable.’ No wonder people have been using it for thousands of years to make beautiful things. Gold wants to be beautiful.

Now this is a sterling ring with a White Topaz stone. There is one 18K Gold satin finish band in the stack of rings… Look at this stone and see the cuts in the stone. Look at the above diamond… What a difference in the stones. Even in these poor amateur photographs you can tell which one is a diamond. A diamond refracts light like nothing else…. (really it does – it’s amazing. Look it up.) Putting these rings side by side is a laughable comparison. However, you need options… not everyone can purchase a diamond and some people do not want a diamond. I have been purchasing my diamonds from Canada ~ Supposedly conflict free? I am not sure how that is really classified though. I would have to see it in person as they mine and cut them. The story origin of a diamond can be a grizzly tale.

My hands look like a disaster. Wood burning fire-place going non-stop for two months dries out your skin to the point of ‘lizard in the desert’. I will have to hit the spa for a manicure and paraffin wax ~~~~ or not!

That would not be for me. I will take my car mechanic hands any day of the week. It means I do something with them… something I really love.

Friday is Valentine’s Day. Don’t forget your sweetie if you have one. It is supposed to be 27 degrees here on Thursday. If it is I am going outside in a T-shirt.

Did not get much jewelry made today but got my garden in. The kids love it. They plant and take care of their own stuff. I have mostly flowers but put in a salsa garden as I love fresh salsa and BLTs. I also have about 8 grape vines… TrollHogen Grapes, nice name, huh… Great snacking grape and very winter hardy as they come from Michigan. Looks like I might have lost one vine this year though. It was a really harsh winter.
We have acreage here on a small river. We thought we were crazy when we bought it but it was the best move we could have made. The county we live in has one stop light in the entire county, Kewaunee County. North of us is Door County. Door County is one of the top ten vacation spots in the entire country and top 20 vacation spots in the world. It’s a little Martha’s Vineyard…. Gorgeous. If you look at a map of the state of Wisconsin it is in the shape of a mitten. I live in the center of the thumb. Door County is the tip of the thumb. The Bay of Green Bay is on one side and Big Ol’ Lake Michigan on the other side. It’s a beautiful place to live a quiet life. In the winter, well, as my friend Maggie calls it….the white death, just put on a sweater and make something by the fire.
Tomorrow I begin a men’s custom order bracelet and a woman’s custom ordered spinner ring which I have to melt down and make a gold ingot for so I can use her gold in the design of the ring. I love doing that. It’s the ultimate in recycling.
For now I’m going to see if I can call that stupid turkey in for some corn. Cannot believe he is still hanging around. Back in the studio in the morning.